It is well known in the electronics field for various electronic devices to be controlled by hand held remote control units, usually based on line of sight infra-red command signals. For instance, a television may be equipped with an infra-red receiver capable of picking up and responding to infra-red command signals transmitted by a hand held remote control unit. Similarly, VCR'S, CD players, tape decks, stereo units and other electrical-electronic equipment may all have their own individual remote control units. Typically, signals from one remote control unit will only control its associated device and will not control or affect other devices.
In order to eliminate a multipacity of hand held units, learning remote control units have been developed and are well known in the art. Such "learning remotes" are capable of memorizing and duplicating the infra-red commands of other remote control units which themselves may not be "learning remotes". In this fashion, one learning remote can memorize the commands of several remotes, thus allowing the use of a single, rather than several remotes.
According to even the most updates prior art remotes, including learning remotes, these are only operable in real time in immediate response to the manual commands of the user who pushes a key on the remote. In other words, if it is desired to change the status of the system in any way, e.g. change the channel on a T.V., etc., the user must specifically push the appropriate key or keys on the remote at the time that he or she wishes the change to occur.
Presently available remotes are not capable of directing commands to different devices on their own at different time intervals. A remote having such capabilities is very desirable particularly for people such as handicapped persons who are not capable of entering manual commands to a remote control. Without timed operation of the remote control such persons must rely on the assistance of others in order to assure timed operation of the device to be controlled by the remote.